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Birthday's usually meant a celebration; complete with cake, candles, and family. If you were royalty that equated to a grand banquet with guests from the noble class, fancy dresses and formal dancing. Noelle's was spent in an entirely different note. The candles weren't lit on sweet and colorful frosting but instead placed beside cold grey stone.
She can't bare the thought of celebrating— happy just doesn't seem appropriate.
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Happy birthday Noelle!
I'm sorry I could only send you a letter this year. You know I'd be more than happy to greet you in person but I was scheduled to go on a mission today.
I hope my gift makes up for it.
Mimosa
Noelle opens the parcel wrapped in a cute floral design. She finds a multitude of preserved flowers encased as bookmarks. The woman grasps them carefully and marvels how it looked so delicate and yet held itself strongly. She wasn't strong suited in plant species but she could at least tell there were some white carnations, goldenrod, ferns, dandelions and is that aloe?
Huh, didn't know those even had flowers.....
She stares and lets out a sigh.
Geez, she could literally get me anything. Yet she decides to give me flowers?
The royal girl thinks but smiles to know that her cousin put effort to greet her and even craft handmade gifts.
"Thanks, Mimosa." She whispers and finds another envelope with a seal that bore the Silver Eagles insignia.
Her smile immediately dropped.
She already knew the contents it held, the same longwinded message every year that basically meant for her to stay away, not embarrass them and a reminder of how despicable her magic was.
Birthday's usually meant a celebration; complete with cake, candles, and family. If you were royalty that equated to a grand banquet with guests from the noble class, fancy dresses and formal dancing. At least that was what Noelle could gather based on her siblings' birthdays and the black bulls'. Hers was spent in an entirely different note.
The candles weren't lit on sweet and colorful frosting but instead placed beside cold grey stone. She can't bare the thought of celebrating — happy just doesn't seem appropriate.
How could she, when it's the same day her mother died? At least that's what her siblings always told her. Rather than cheer for her upbringing, they would mourn by their mother's grave. In fact, they wouldn't acknowledge her existence at all - not even a bothersome insult from Solid was received.
You'd think that she would prefer being ignored over mistreated. It was relieving at first but in the silence she never felt more unwanted. Every year on the same day, Noelle Silva simply did not exist.
A quick shower later, she grabs her sack of coins and rushes out the front door; ignoring her comrades' call for breakfast. She quickens her pace and doesn't realize that she stumbled on someone until it was too late.
"Morning Noelle! Where are you going? Do we have a mission?" Asta asks excitedly despite the fact that she tripped over him.
She ignores him as well and continues forward. It was when she passed the 100th step that she realized she should've asked Finral for a portal to the capital.
Paying for transport or go back and ask for a Portal?
She'd rather pay but she hasn't seen any signs of people or carriages at all for the past minutes or so.
Noelle debates on it and decides that a portal would be more convenient. The only downside was for her to swallow her pride and hope they don't bother asking why she ignored them.
She observes that Asta was no longer outside and concludes that he was probably eating breakfast with the others. The door creaked open and immediately ensues silence among them.
She stiffens as they only stared at her. Reminding her of the taunting looks she receives in the royal household every time she stepped into a room. The shame, guilt and embarrassment surrounds her like a dense fog preventing her from breathing.
"Oh, you're back already? Where'd you go? And why on such a rush?" Asta, too dense to read the atmosphere breaks the silence.
For once she was grateful for his denseness that snapped her back to reality. Choosing to not answer, she walks up to Finral.
"I'd like a portal to the Capital." She demands, the spatial mage clearly taken aback.
"Did you get a mission? This early?"
"I gave her a day off, just make the damn portal Finral."
"You off to a date?" He teases but she only replies coldly.
"None of your business." She steps foot inside and walks towards her destination.
"How come she gets a day off? I want one too, I'd like to see my beautiful goddess Mary. I'm sure a surprise visit from her brother would make her pleased." Gauche keeps mumbling to himself and blood starts to drip from his nose.
"Oooooh can I have one? Maybe I can visit Hage. The kids would be happy, and Sister Lily will definitely appreciate it." Asta starts daydreaming his probably impossible fantasies as well.
"If I could I would find some new ingredients for new tasty dishes, la!" Charmy adds in.
"I want to shop for magical items. And maybe get a drink here and there." Vanessa follows along with everyone else in the room.
"I kinda wanna just relax, being a ride always sucks my magic out of me. A date would definitely be my recharge." Finral declares.
"All of you shut up, if you want a day off to rest, how about I let you rest in peace for eternity." A dark aura emitting from the Black Bull captain signaled everyone to quiet down
"That's unfair, how come Elly gets to-" Magna was cut off short when a hand grabbed his head.
"What's that? You think I owe you an explanation?" The delinquent felt as if he was staring at death itself.
"Never mind!" He screams and was dropped on the floor. Yami turns around to leave but stops mid step.
"I guess you could say that today she's on a personal mission." Yami surprisingly explains before disappearing to the bathroom.
"I wonder what today is?" Asta asks out loud.
Noelle spends a couple hours around the capital, searching for the perfect bouquet. Her fingers caress the flowers she had just bought encompassing an array of different colored carnations, roses, chrysanthemums and gladioli- she deserves it Noelle reassures and places it next to the other bouquets offered that had a Silver Eagle symbol on the card. She concludes it was from her siblings.
Truth be told she never knew much about her mother, the subject was taboo in the household. After all, what right does she have to know about the life she had taken away? Needless to say she wasn't welcomed whenever her family visits however she took it upon herself to come alone given the chance.
"It's been a while, mother. I guess my siblings already came. I could only wish we would come together, you would prefer that." Noelle places her palm on the engraved letters of her mother's tomb. She reaches for the black robe she currently wore.
"Look! I became a magic knight now, part of the Black Bulls, I wasn't exactly happy at first. I would've wanted to be in the same one as you, a Silver Eagle.... however I recently understood why I was placed with the Bulls instead.
True, it's not what many would describe as ideal, who would want to be in a group of screw ups? But it's the exact reason why they understand me. They didn't bully me for being a royal that can't control her own magic, even my fellow newbie that I had looked down on for being a magicless commoner.
Better yet he actually praised me and acknowledged my power. He's pretty amazing. Despite having no magic he became a magic knight and even plans to become Wizard King. If someone with no magic has accomplished that much who's to say I can't?
That's why I'll work even harder to be a great warrior just like you. Of course I still have a lot to learn but don't worry, I have this wand now, it uh-helps me control my powers. And so long as I have them by side, I'm sure we can all become something great." She smiles reminiscing the good memories she had collected since joining the Bulls.
Her afternoon continues with her tending to her mother's grave and arranging the bouquets in a neat fashion. She leaves one last prayer and starts heading back home not without noticing the eldest Vermillion passing by.
"Lady Mereoleona! You're in the Capital, came to visit?" She greets, remembering the only person to ever convey knowledge about her mother.
"Only for a little bit, a woman like her deserves this much. How about you, leaving?" Her stance itself screamed intense power and confidence, Noelle could feel the dense mana within the captain level mage. Royal or not, Mereoleona was of her own league and to have this woman respect her mother in such a way only proves how long a road her ambition will be.
"Yes, I just dropped off some flowers. My captain wouldn't like me taking too long."
"All right. Happy birthday. I don't do presents but if you'd like you can train with me some time." Noelle was caught off guard, she didn't think Mereoleona of all people would actually greet her.
"It would be an honor, thank you." She replies and leaves. As she walks by she notices a flower she used to play with as a child.
Since she never celebrated her birth her only option to make wishes were via dandelions littered around their garden. She glances at the puffball, gently holding the hundreds of seeds ready to be blown away.
It is tradition-er my tradition.
She reasons. Holding the flower to her lips, she closes her eyes and wishes with all her might. The same wish she made every year.
I wish my family would spend time with me today.
And she blows, the flower prepared for its next generation of offspring. She watches the seeds be whisked away by the wind and disappear into the sky.
It was night by the time she came back. With an eyebrow raised she realizes that the lights were off.
Have they gone to sleep? Is it that late already?
She was hoping to spend at least a few more minutes surrounded by their company— shenanigans and all. For once, her birthday could be spent in a room full of noisy friends she had come to cherish.
Whatever, I'm used to being alone during this day anyways.
She enters and was greeted by what she had thought to be her sleeping comrades.
"Surprise!" And surprised she was, as her eyes scan the room filled with streamers, and balloons. A cake was put in front of her, the purple frosting spelled out a greeting she rarely ever heard.
"Hmph, is this how com—moners celebrate?" She tries to sound feisty but her voice falters. The tears, she could feel them welling up. Never had she imagined this day without the scornful glances and judgmental whispers be replaced with gleeful smiles and festive greetings.
Drop, drop, drop.
She couldn't help it. The flood gates were open and she didn't mind looking so vulnerable for once.
Now it was the others' turn to be surprised. They hadn't thought that the normally sharp tongued sassy teen would actually start crying out of nowhere.
"Oh no, we broke Noelle!" Asta concludes, worry gracing his features. Sparking chaos amongst the room.
"I told you guys she wouldn't like it, royalty celebrations are way out of our league." Finral complains to everyone in the room.
"But no royal celebrations could top off my Cotton Sheep's cooking, la!" Charmy shoves a hot steaming plate of food she had made.
"When there's booze it's always a great party." Vanessa states drunk already having downed 10 bottles.
"She's royalty? I wanna see a princess." Mary requests.
"My little sister wants to see a princess, so you better look happy. As a gift I'll let you speak to her for 5 seconds." Gauche threatens whilst holding out the mirror.
"She's crying out of joy, since her family never liked her very much and probably never celebrated her birth. I know all this because I keep record of everything about my friends in my journal." Gordon mumbles, nobody really hearing what he said.
"A lot of effort went into this, be a little more grateful dumbass!" Magna complains to Noelle whom still had silent tears streaming down her face.
"All you did was light the candles though." Luck points out.
"What was that punk? Want me to light you instead?" And so the start fighting it out, with Luck dodging at high speed and Magna on hot pursuit. All the while, two or three fireballs would be sent flying in random directions. Causing some of the streamers to be sent on fire, and numerous balloons popping.
"Oi, you're ruining the decor~" Gray states in embarassment.
"Ahhh! I'm on fire help! Gahhhh!" Asta screams as he tries to put it out.
"The hell's going on here?" The Captain opening the door took everyone's attention away from everything going up on flames.
Suddenly a water spell extinguished the flames, leaving the decorations and everyone soaked except for the cake. Silence ensued in the room, knowing that the party was ruined. Nobody could risk a glance at the birthday girl who was probably experiencing utter disappointment.
Nothing but the sound of laughter could be heard at that moment. Everyone turned to see Noelle, whom still had tears, giggling.
"I'm telling you guys, we broke her." Asta proclaims once again.
"Thank you, everyone. This was all I really wanted." She smiles.
"A party that's completely ruined? We don't even have any gifts."
"It's okay being here with you all, was the best gift I could ever have hoped for." She genuinely states, uncharacteristically saying something so sweet.
"We totally broke her." Everyone says.
"Oh shut up, don't believe anything Asta says. He's called bakasta for a reason." She crosses her arms suddenly embarassed for the cheesy line she had said.
"It really is Noelle!" They all say in unison.
"Of course, now give me some of that cake, I'm starving." To be surrounded by those she loved, her wish had finally come true.